Description: A large evergreen forest tree with dense foliage and rough bark. It produces rounded fruit containing edible seeds.

Identification: Large leathery leaves; rough bark; characteristic jack-like fruits.

Habitat & distribution: Native to southwestern India and western Sri Lanka.

Uses / importance: Important timber tree of the Western Ghats; fruits and seeds are useful as food. It is also significant in Kerala’s traditional landscape.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom – Plantae
Clade – Angiosperms
Clade – Eudicots
Order – Rosales
Family – Moraceae
Genus – Artocarpus
Species – A. hirsutus

Sources: Kew POWO; Kerala flora references.